I've had Exile's 'Radio' and Blu & Exile's 'Below the Heavens' on heavy rotation in work over the past few weeks and both quickly became favourites that I know I'll be bumping a lot over the coming months. Exile's 'Radio' was made using entirely radio based samples, that include songs, talk shows, news bulletins and static. Take a look at the below video to see him talk about how he first came up with the idea.
The standout track for me at the moment has to be the incredible 'The Sound is God'. The beat is definitely a goosebump-inducer and is just so so nice. Check it out:
'Below the Heavens' has slowly been turning into a hip-hop classic and deserves to be heard by far more people than it has been. The production matches Blu's flow perfectly (or vice versa!) and is a perfect album from start to finish.
I've also recently been getting into Fashawn's awesome 'Boy Meets World' LP, which was produced entirely by Exile. The production is flawless and generally has a pretty upbeat feel throughout and he even manages to sample Joanna Newsom on 'When She Calls'! One reviewer over on Rate Your Music described the track 'Stars' as "just one of those songs that sound the best when you sit on your back on a muggy summer evening, inhaling the familiar scent of grass as you stargaze." That pretty much sums up the album for me and takes me back to the 90s and the likes of A Tribe Called Quest, with their sample heavy beats and summery vibes. Take a listen in Spotify.
I guess that's the thing I love most about Exile's sound...that feeling of summer and my youth, when I first discovered hip-hop.
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